Mail catcher and deliverer.



Patented May I, I900.

B. CHAMBERLAIN. MAIL CATC'HEB AND DELIVERER.

(Appiicatiofi filed Sept. '27, 1899.)

-3 Sheets-Sheet THE :cKim' UTMOGM'KING c0, WASMIHGYON, n. c.

No. 648,348. Patented ma I, I900.

B. CHAMBERLAIN. 'MAIL CATGH EB-AND DELIVEREB. (Application filed Sept.27, 1899.) (no Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

' allow/$444 04 m: ECKFR! muusmvmm: co.. vusmns ou, n. c.

No. 648,848. Patented May I, I900.

B. CHAMBERLAIN. HAIL CATCHEH AND DELIVEBE R.

(Application filed Sept. 27, 1899.) (No Model.)

3 Sheets- 81mm 3.

alto magm- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE;

llilANUlIl XRD CHAMBERLAIN, 'OFBELLEFONTAINE, OHIO.

MAIL CATCHER AND DELIVERE-R;

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 648,848, dated May 1,1900. Application filed September 27,1899. Serial No. 731,842. (No m l-7T1) (If/l whom it nut concern.-

Be it known that I, BLANCHARD CHAMBER- LAIN, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at llellefontaine, in the county of Logan and State ofOhio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in MailCatchers. and Deliverers; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothcrs skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

My invention relatesto improvements in mail-bag catchers and deliverers,and is designed more particularly as an improvement upon the inventiondescribed and claimed in Letters Patent No. 594,983, granted to meDecember 7, 1897, reissued February 8, 1898,

and-numbered 11,649. v

The object or my invention is more espethe construction of track-cranesand to pre more fully understood, the same will be more cially toprovide an improved form of track duce one which shall be simple, yetvdurable and positive in itsaction.

In order that my said invention may be fully described with'reference tothe accompanying drawings, in whichtrack-crane and catcher and delivereron a Figure 1 is a plan view representing the postal car, showing themin the position that they occupy just previous to the operation ofcatching and delivering the mail-bags and showing in dotted lines theposition of the crane-arm after the bag has been caught from the passingtrain or after the bag has been delivered to the train. track-crane andcatcher and deliverer arm in side elcvatidn, showing the mail-bag inposition to be delivered; Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the parts shownin Fig. 2- with-the Fig. 2 represents the mail-bag removed. Fig. 4 is aperspective view of the crane catcher and dcliverer arm. Fig. 5 isa'front elevation of the sling, and Fig. 6 is a side elevation of thesame. Fig. 7 is a top plan view showing another form of my improvedtraeleerane. Fig. 8 represents the same in side elevation. the same in'front elevation, showing in dotted lines the position of the catcher-armafter action. another form of sling, and Fig. 11 represents the same inside elevation.

Similar letters refer to si m ilar parts throughout the several views.

A represents the track-crane post or up right, located along thepermanent way in close proximity'to the railroad-track. Over theiop ofthis post fits ahead B in the form of a cap, being made hollow toreceive the upper end of the post, as shown in dotted lines at b. Thishead B is preferably a sin gle iron casting provided with the lowerflanges I), through which the screw-threaded rods b Fig. 9 representsFig. 10 represents infront elevation pass, securing the head l3 fastupon the top.

of the post A by means of the nuts 19 Any looseness of the head upon thepost which may be caused by the shrinkage'of the latter may becompensated for by tightening the said -nuts.. The head Bis providedalso with the annular flange or cap I) and a flange b and between theseflanges is formed the neck b". The head beneath th fl'aiige b isprovided on opposite sides wit the-ears or lugs if, to which are securedthe rubber or other elastic cushions or butters b b are secured the dogsI), pivoted as at 79 The lower ends of these dogs are preferably madeheavier than their upper ends to keep them in an upright position, theirlower ends normally resting against the buffers b5.

0 represents the arm which holds the mailbag to be delivered to thetrain and comprises two members c c. This arm is supported upon the headof the crane by making [he members a c at one end in the form of a yoke0 which surrounds the neck I), as shown, fitting tight enough to s'upport thearm in a position substantially at right angles to the post,but loose enough to allow thearnr to turn on the head of the post as apivot. The arm 0 then ext-ends out straight from its support To the lugs'for ashort distance, when it is fbent upward,

sides uppermost and are bolted again, as at (1".

Between the upper ends of the members e c is pivoted, as at thebag-supporting pin In order toprevent this pin from being turned eitherto the right or left except under-the action of a positive i'or'ce, theupper face of the member 1; is made rough or concave, as at e. by a studc".

While I have described the shape of the arm C with some particularity, ldo not wish to confine m yself to that special shape, as it is obviousthat I may vary this to a considerable degree without departing from thespirit of my invention.

1) represents the catcher-arm, comprising a straight member (Z, securedatone end between the lower straight portions of the members c c bybolts d d. The catcher-arm l) carries a reversible catcher-hook l9,comprising two substantially-paralld"arms d, flaring outward at theirends, at (2 The shank d of the hook is substantially at right angles tothe arms (1 is reduced at one end, as at The arms 1'- e are braced (1*,(shown in dotted lines, Fig. 2,) to form a being held in a groovee.

.means of the rope or strap e shoulder at d", and passes at that endinto a socket in the end of the arm (I. A pin (1 passes through the arm(I and,hook-shank d and holds the latter in the proper position.

The hook is provided with the rubber or other.

elastic buffer (i against which the sling strikes when the mail-bag iscaught.

E represents the sling to which the mailbag is secured and by means of,which it is suspended from the delivery-arm. Thissling consists,amongother parts,of a rope e,(loubled upon itself and forming two loops e ande. A ball 6 of wood, rubber, or other suitable material, is carried inthe loop e, the rope (See Fig. 6.) A guard (a in the form of an eyel'urther'sccures the ball in the loop 6', while at the same timepreventing the rope from abrasion. The rope between the loops is coveredwith a casing 6 of leather or some other tough material which willwithstand the blows to which the sling will be subjected. The lower loopc carries an eye r", from which is suspended two plates e 111"," thesaid plates being provided with openings (2", through which the eye 6'passes. These plates are provided with the hooks e and (1" and the platea with the dog e The mailbag is secured to the sling by For this purposethe said rope or strap is seen red at one end to one of the hooks o,then passed under the mail-bag over one of the hooks is", then backunder the bag again and 'over another book 2 then back under the bagagain and f on the door h'nnb.

over the hook c, where it is held by the dog 6 It will thus be seen thatthe rope orstrap is not tied around the mail-bag, but rather.

laced around it in such a manner as to se curely hold it'and at the sametime admit of it being easily removed. Obviously two or more mail-bagsmay be held at once in the manner described where only one bag is shown.The same sling may be used with a different type of rope or strapfastening, as shown in lllgs. l0 and 11. end of the rope or strap 0 issecured directly to the eye 0 having its other end held in adogsuspended from the eycc The rope or strap a simply passes around the bagand then through the dog, which tends to grasp it tighter the greaterthe strain on the rope.

In supporting the bag to be delivered the pin 0 of thedeliver arm passesthrough the guard-eye e thus leaving the bag suspended with the slingdirectly in the path of the catcher of the mail-car.

The mail-bag catcher and delivcrer that I have shown as carried by themail-car (see Fig. 1) is substantially similar to that described andclaimed inthe Letters Patent No. (332,101, granted to me August 29,1899, consisting-among other parts, of the catcherrod F, which passesacross the doorway of the mail-car and is journaled in the brackets f,secured to the door-janrbs G. This catcher- .rod is provided with anoperating-handle f and a stop-arm F, the latter being adapted to come inengagement with the stop f when the rod has been turned to its fullestand proper extent in holding the catcher-arm out. A rubber or otherelastic buffer f is placed between the stoparm and the bracket 11represents a catcher-arm of the usual.

type, and K an auxiliary arm substantially parallel to the arm H, both0t which are secured to the catcher-rod, as shown. A buffer L is locatedbetween the arms ll and K near the rearward ends, while the arm K isprovided with a pivoted trigger 7;.

M represents the delivery-arm, which holds the bag to be delivered. fromthe mailcar. This 'arm M is provided with a pivoted pin in, from whichthe sling is suspended, being substantially the same as that shown anddcscribed in my aforesaid patent.

In describing the operation of the apparatus-it will be assumed thatthe. train is movin this case one ing in the direction of the arrow,FigJ-l, and

that it is desired to deliver a mail-bag to the crane andtake one fromit. The [nail-bag to be delivered to the crane having been placed onthedelivcry-arm on approaching the crane arms H and K of thecrane-catcher, sliding The sling secured. to the bag on the crane-arm iscaught by the I the sling off the pin which may turn on its pivot, andthereby assist the operation. When the sling is disengaged from the pin0 it falls upon the arms H and K, being suspended by' the ball a whichrests upon the said arms.

The sling thenpasses the trigger is and strikes thebuiferf. The slingsecured to the bag to be delivered to the cranecatcher is at the sametime caught between the arms 01 of the catcher-hook, the ball of thesling resting upon the arms and supporting the bag, as in the previouscase, the slingpassing the trigger d and striking the buifer d. Thewhole crane-arm being rotatably mounted on the head of the post, asdescribed, will in theoperation of exchanging the bags be knocked aroundin the direction of the circular arrow, Fig. 1, and will assume theposition indicated in: dotted lines. In passing around to this positionthe crane-arm trips one of the dogs 11 and passes around to the other,striking itand bringing it against the butter Obviously when the car ismoving in the opposite direction from that indicated the crane-arm willbe rotated in the opposite direction, and the-dog which it tripped ingoing in the other direction j now acts as a stop. It will thus be seenthat the whole apparatus is designed to reduce the effectof the blowoccasioned by the exchange to a minimum. When the sling is caughtin.

" the crane-catcher hook, it strikes a rubber 'bufier, and instead oflanding against a stationary arm the arm swings around, losing a greatdeal of its force before it reaches the dog which stops it. It willalsobe observed that the catcher-arm of the mail-car does not strike-thesling supporting the bag to betaken from the crane a straight blow atright angles to the crane-arm. The blow is aglancing one, thecatcher-arm being so directed as to gradually slide the sling oft'thepin which supports it. It will also be seen that the bag that is caughtupon the crane is carried coinpletely out of the way of the train, sothat there will he no danger from a following train or from the sametrain from which the bag is taken.

With the track cranes generally in use two arms are usually employed,one extending from the post at or near its upper end and another below.Accordingto my invention it will be seen that only one arm extends fromI the post, the upper arm of the ordinary type v fourth side is asmaller flange or lug I1 The rods 7-, secured to the post, pass throughthese flanges an hold the head down on the post by means of the nuts 12as described with reference to the other form of head. The head I isprovided with an extension. I). having lines in Fig. 9 and continuingaround strit or deliver the mail-bags, as shown in Figs. 7

and 8, the end d of the arm I) is held under the nipple I), which iscast to the top or cap I)! of the head B. WV hen the bags are caught andthe arm D is struck,'it is knocked around,

as in the previous case, except in this instance when the portion (Z ofthe arm 1) passes from beneath the nipple b" the arm drops down into theposition shown in dotted H the buffer Z), as shown in dotted lines, Fig.S5

7. When the arm thus drops, it strikes the flange b and is thusprevented from striking the post. The arm D is readily rcset'by raisingand turning it around to its proper position again.

While I have thus shown and described two forms of my said invention, itis obvious that I may make still further changes and moth-- ficationstherein without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I do not wish it to be understood that the catcher and deliverercrane-arm herein shown and described in any form is limited to use withthe particular support or crane-post h erein shown and described,itbeing myintontion especially to use the form of drop down catcher-armsuch as is shown in Figs. 7, 8, and 9 with the crane-post shown anddescribed in my reissued Letters Patent No. 11,619, above referred to.

Having thus fully described my said invention, what I claim, and desireto vsecure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. In amail-bag catcher and deliverer, an

upright support, a head comprising a flanged 1 1o hollow casting mountedfast upon the upper end of said upright, and a mail catcher anddeliverer arm pivoted to said head, substantially as described.

2. In a mail-bag catcher and d upright support, a head comprising ametal. cap fitting fast over the top of said upright, a rotatable mailcatcher and delivcrer arm. pivoted to said head and'mcans carried bysaid head for limiting the travel of said arm, 1

substantially as described.

3. In a mail-bag catcher and deiiverer, an upright support, a headcomprising a metal cap fitting fast over the top of said upright,

eliverer, an

a rotatable mail catcher an d deliver-er arm I: 5

carried by said head and elastic buil'crs carried by said'head forlimiting the travel oi said arm, substantially as (iOStl'ibO-ti.

4. In a mail-bag catcher and deliver-or, an upright support, ahead inthe form of a units). cap fitting fast over the top of saidv upright,and arotatablc mail catcher and deliverer arm pivoted to said head, subsantially as lcsci-died.

5. In a mail-bag catcher and deliverer, an upright support, a headsurmounting said up right, a rotatable mail catcher and deliverer armpivoted to said head, stop-dogs pivoted to the sides of the head andadapted to limit the travel of said arm, and elastic buffers againstwhich said dogs strike, substantially as described.

6. In 'a mail-bag catcher and deliverer, the combination with an uprightsupport, a stationary flanged head fitting over the top of said upright,a combined catcher and deliverer arm rotatably mounted on said head andcomprising a catcher-arm, and a delivery-arm diverging from saidcatcher-arm, substantially as described.

7. In a mail-bag catcher and deliverer, the

combination with an upright support, ahead fitting over the top, of saidupright, a combined catcher and deliverer arm rotatably mounted on saidhead and comprising a catcher-arm and deliverer-arm extending upwardfrom said catcher-arm and pivoted stops for limiting the travel of saidar'm, substanl and elastic buffers secured to said head and limiting thetravel of said arms, substantially as'described.

9. In a mail-bag catcher and deliverer, the *combination with an uprightsupport, a stationary head in the form of a hollow casting fitting overthetop of said upright, means for securing said head down upon saidupright, a combined catcher and deliverer arm rotatably mounted on saidhead and-comprising a catcher-arm, and a deliverer-arm extending upwardfrom said catcher-arm and means for suspending a mail-bag from saiddelivererarm, substantially as described. i

10. In a mail-bag catcher and deliverer', the

combination with an upright support, a stationary head in the form of ahollow casting fitting over the top of said upright, means for Isecuring said head down upon said upright,

a combined catcher and deliverer arm rotatably mounted on said head andcomprising a catcher-arm and a deliverer-arni extending upward from saidcatcherarm, means for limiting the travel of said arms and means forsuspending the mail-bag from said delivererarm, substantially asdescribed. 1

11 In a mail-bag catcher and-delivercr,the

combination with an upright support, a head 7 in the formiof a hollowcasting fitting over the top of said upright,- rods secured to saidupright and passing through the lower portion of said head, bolts uponsaid rods for holding the head down upon the-upright, and a combinedmail catcher and deliverer arm rotatably mounted on said head,substantially as described.

12. In a mail-bag catcher and deliverer, the combination with an uprightsupport, a sis-a tionary flanged head in the form of a hollow a combinedcatcher and delivercr arm rotatably mounted upon said head, said armcomprising a catcher-arm, a reversible catcherhook carried bysaid armand a deliverer-arm diverging from said catcher-arm, and means forsuspending the mail-bag from said deliverer-arm, substantially asdescribed.

13. In a mail-bag catcher and deliverer, the combination with an uprightsupport, a head carried upon the top of said support, a combined catcherand deliverer arm rotatably mounted upon said head, said arm comprisinga catcher-arm, a reversible catcher-hook composed of twosubstantially-parallel arms with a flaringmouth carried by said arm, adeliverer-arm. diverging from said catcherarm and then extendingparallel thereto, and a bag-supporting pin carriedby said delivererarm,substantially as described.

14. In a mail-bag catcher and deliverer, the combination with an uprightsupport, a head carried upon. the top of said support, a combinedcatcher and deliverer arm rotatably mounted upon said head, said armcomprising a catcher-arm, a reversible catcher-hook having twosubstantially-parallel arms with taming-trigger also carried by saidhook, a deliverer-arm diverging from said catcherarm and then extendingparallel thereto, and a pivoted bag-supporting pin carried by saiddeliverer-arm, substantially as described.

15. In a mailbag catcher and dcliverer, the

bined catcher and deliverer arm .rotatably mounted upon said head, saidarm comprising a catcher-arm, a reversible catcher-hook carried by saidarm and a deliverer-arm diverging from said catcher-arm and thenextending parallel thereto, and a bag-supporting pin carried by saiddeliverer-arm, substantially as described.

16. A mail-bag catcher and deliverer, (30111" prising a fixed support, adeliverer-arm pivoted to said support and adapted to rotate in ahorizontal plane, a catcher-arm pivoted to said deliverer-arm andadapted to rotate in a vertical plane, means for retaining the saiddeliverer-arm in a substantially-horizontal position and for allowingthe said catcher-arm to drop when the same is rotated around its pivot,substantiaily as described,

.17. In a mail-bag catcher and deliverer, the combination with anupright support, of. a head surmounting said support said head having ahollow extension upon one of its sides, buffers carried in saidextension, a deliverer-arm rotatably mounted upon said f head, acatcher-arm pivoted to said deliver-en combination with an uprightsupport, a head carried upon the top of said support, a comcastingcarried upon the top of said support,

a flaring mouth, abuft'er in said hook, a rearm and. adapted to swingabout its pivot in a vertical plane, means for maintaining saidcatcher-I arm in a horizontal position and means for releasing the sameand allowing it to fall when the arm is rotated in a horizontal-plane,substantially as described.

18. In a mail-bag catcher and deliverer, the combination with anupright/support, of a head .sur nounting said support, said head havingan extension upon one of its sides,

- butters carried in said extension, a deliverer- .arm rotatably mountedupon said head, a

catcher-arm pivoted to said deliverer-arm, an overhanging nipple uponthe top of said head and adapted to engage the inner'end of saidcatcher-arm and to hold the same in a horizontal position until the saidarm is rotated out of engagement with said nipple, substantially asdescribed.

19, In a mail-bagcatcher and deliverer, the combination with an uprightsupport, of a head snrniounting said support, said head having anextension upon one of its'sides,

buffers carried in said extension, a deliverer 20. A sling forsupporting a mail-bag coinprising a rope doubled upon itself and boundtogether for a part of, its length and forminga loop upon each end ofthe bound portion, a ball carried in one of said loops, and means forsecuring the mail-bag to the otherloop, substantially as described.

21. -A slingfor supporting a mail-bag, coinprising a rope doubled uponitself and bound together for a part of its length a covering ofwear-resisting material inclosing the bound portion of the rope, a loopformed at each end of the bound portion, a ball carried in one of saidloops, an eye in the other of said loops, and a bag-fastening devicecarried in said eye, substantially as described.

22. A sling for supporting a mail-bag, comprising a rope doubled uponitself and bound together for a part of its length and 'forming 'a loopat each end of the bound portion, a ball carried in one of said loops,an eye carried. in the other of said loops, lacing-hooks carried by saideye and a rope or strap for lacing said bag to said hooks, substantiallyas described.

23. A sling for supporting a mail-bag, comprising a rope doubled uponitself and bound together for a partof its length and forming a loop ateach end of the bound portion, a ball carried in oneof said loops, aneye carried. int-he other. of said loops, a pair-of plates carried bysaid eye, lacing-hooks-oarried by 6.5

said plate JL Clamping-dog carried by one of said plates, a rope orstrap secured to one of said hooks and adapted to be clamped by saiddog, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof .I afiiX-Jny signature in presence of twowitnesses.

- BLANCIIARD 0] [AM BERLAIN. Witnesses:

FRANK I). limoms'roan, .Tonin' 'II'. Ilom.

